


Rise Above

by rosez_have_thornz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friendship/Love, High School, M/M, Male Friendship, Muggle London, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 09:15:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6798022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosez_have_thornz/pseuds/rosez_have_thornz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the age of nine, Hugo attends a muggle public school and makes a friend that manages to rise above any of his expectations. He slowly unravels his strong feelings for the slightly older boy who won't reveal his real name. They quickly form a powerful bond, but when his friend suddenly stops appearing at school, Hugo frets that he will never see him again. </p>
<p>Years later Scorpius Malfoy is surprised to see a long lost friend when he works with Rose on a project at her families home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this chapter is from a fantastic anti-bullying video on youtube by eisakay. 
> 
> I also posted this chapter as a stand alone one-shot titled "Ginger". In this story I will continue from that point onward. This version will eventually be a Scorpius/Hugo story.

As I reach the last block of my walk to school, I pull my knit cap down further past my ears and hold tightly to the straps of my backpack. It's a gorgeous day for a walk. Rays of sun warm the lightly freckled skin of my face as I make my way down the sidewalk. Of course, it isn't exactly walking through a brick wall, to get to a magical express train, followed by a magical boat ride to a massive castle.. but it's still a nice walk.

 

It sucks being the younger sibling, and also one of the youngest of my cousins. My entire life I have been hearing stories of how amazing Hogwarts is from my older cousins. It's only going to be another two years before I can attend, but it feels like a lifetime.

 

To get me “educated on basic worldy knowledge”, and to “socialize with other children my age”, my parents have forced me to attend a muggle public school since I was five. My mother, Hermoine Granger, well known in the wizarding world for her strong belief in good, thorough education, was rather insistent.

 

My older sister Rose was accepted into a prestigious private school due to her exceptional grades. They plan to “cultivate her brilliant mind”. It's going to be hard for her there. Don't get me wrong, I know that my sister is incredibly smart, but I've also seen how much work and time she puts in to get the amazing grades that she has been.

 

School work has always been a lot easier for me, and I can tell that that frustrates her to no end. I don't try very hard in my classes, but I still get really good grades. When I read something, I just, remember it.

 

I've been told that I may have an eidetic memory. A couple of my teachers have wanted to do some testing, but I declined. I'm just not particularly interested in putting a label on how I think.

 

It's my second day at the towns middle school, and despite the misleading pleasantness of the weather, I have a feeling that today it going to be just as awful as the last.

 

Why was yesterday so awful you're wondering? Well, apparently being the shortest boy in my class, with twigs for limbs, and flaming orange hair, makes me a perfect target for bullies. Two brutish boys, that I believe are in the grade above me, apparently think that my hair is quite the spectacle. Growing up in the Weasley family, I never really thought much of my hair colour, but yesterdays comments of “Freckle-face” and “Orange Goblin”, have me feeling more than a little self conscious if I'm being honest.

 

Luckily I make it into the school without sighting either of my recent tormentors. My classes pass uneventfully, and I choose to spend my lunch reading in the library to avoid any potential unpleasant interactions. I realize that I'm losing a good opportunity to make friends, but I'm pretty afraid of these guys okay? They are way larger than me and seem to have already taken a particular interest in ruining my life.

 

When the school day finally ends I make my way outside, feeling pretty optimistic that I've managed to dodge my bullies for the day. I round the side of the building heading towards home, and isn't it just my luck to see both of them heading in my direction. I think about turning around and heading away from them, but I also don't want to seem like a coward running away. So, I keep my pace and hope that I will be able to quietly walk past them uninterrupted. It's worth a shot right?

 

“Hey Ethan! Look it's Fire-crotch!”, I hear one of them shouting far louder than necessary. Some of the other students are still nearby and look over at us but don't really interfere or intervene. I do hear one girl let out a small chuckle at my expense, and another small group of tough looking kids near by just watch.

 

The second bully, now known as Ethan is wearing a cruel smile on his face when he looks at me.

 

“Hey Rust-nuts!”, he shouts at me even though we are only about six feet away now, “Do you know what gingers have to look forward to later in life?” I just keep walking a steady pace, eager to get past both of them and there cruel name-calling. “Grey hair!” he finishes, causing both of them to start laughing obnoxiously. As I'm finally passing by them, I suddenly feel my knit cap being pulled off of my head.

 

“Awe! Are you embarrassed of your flaming mop?” Ethan mocks at me, “ You want your hat back to hide your ugly hair?”

 

I don't know what to do. I don't want to get in a fight! I avert my gaze and it lands on one of the boys in the group near by. He looks like a tough kid, wearing mostly black, with striking blonde hair standing up in a stylishly messy way, and piercing silver eyes looking right back into mine. I know that he, his friends, and several other students are watching this scenario play out, but I can tell that I'm on my own.

 

I'm scared, and a bit hurt, and I hear myself mumble out a quick “keep it”, before I hurry away from them.

 

Once I'm out of their sight I run the rest of the way to the floo network connection that I use to get home.

 

Later that night my parents ask me again how school has been going, and just like last night, I lie. I've been told that if you're being bullied you should talk to an adult, but I'm embarrassed. My parents are heroes, revered for their bravery by all of wizarding kind, true Griffindors! And me, I'm the kid who abandoned the cap that my Grandma Molly knit for me last Christmas and then ran home with my tail between my legs.

 

I want to be brave, but I also don't want to get beat up, I mean, that's just common sense right? I still feel like a coward though. So, I put on the most convincing smile I can and I tell them that my day was fine.

 

The next day I wear a sweater with a hood on it. That way I can cover my hair, hopefully hide my identity, and also the hood can't get pulled off and taken away the way my cap was. Smart right?

 

Luckily my trip to school and throughout the day was once again uneventful, I just doodled through my lessons and spent my lunch time reading in the library. During lunch I found myself looking up every time I saw someone enter the room in the corner of my eye, nervous that Ethan and the other goon would find me there. But I made it through the day, and now I just have to make the walk home. Unfortunately the only way that I know how to get back to the nearest floo that I can use to go home, is the same path where I ran into the bullies last time. Hopefully if I leave the school really quickly I'll beat them there. I try to get out of the school as quickly as possible when the final bell rings, but the hallways are crowded and it takes me longer than I had hoped to finally get outside.

 

I round the corner of the building, still feeling hopeful, just to have those hopes crushed when I notice that basically everyone that had been there yesterday is already there, including the evil duo. It almost feels like dejavu. And now they're heading towards me.

 

I realize that I've frozen in place and I force myself to start slowly walking towards them as well. I need to be moving if I ever want to get past them. Hopefully I can still walk by without them physically hurting me. I can see them both sort of sneering in a cruel and confident way. When they are only a few feet away Ethan begins, “ Hey Pumpkin-head! What do you..” and then his words fall short as the cocky look on his face turns into one of nervous surprise. They walk past me without saying another word. I direct my gaze to where he had been looking, over to the side of the path, to the group of tough looking kids, and I meet the same piercing silver eyes as yesterday. Only this time one thing is different. His pale face is framed in bright orange hair.


	2. Getting to Know You

“Hugo!” I hear my mom call to me when I walk through the door, “Glad you're home sweetie. How was school?”

A smile comes to my face so easily now, and I finally feel like I'm being honest when I say, “it was a great day mom”.

For the rest of the day I just can't stop smiling every time I think of the boy who stuck up for me at school. I can't stop imagining those silver eyes staring back at me. 

The next day is a Saturday, so thankfully a break from school. I spend the first portion of my day reading a book that Rose suggested to me, but after a while I start to feel restless and decide to go for a walk. Since I have already spent years exploring the area around my family's home, I take the floo to near my school and start to walk around there. 

Just yesterday I might have been afraid that I would come across those bullies, even as unlikely as that probably is on a Saturday. But, for some reason I'm feeling more confident now. I didn't even stand up to them myself. I should probably still feel just as pathetic as I did a couple of days ago, but I think that what's really helping is that I don't feel so alone anymore. Now I know that I have silver eyes in my corner. 

I'm casually meandering around the school when I catch sight of something that stops me in my tracks. It's him! Not more than 30 feet from me, Silver Eyes is shooting hoops by himself. His unnaturally orange hair is shinning bright in the sunlight. He hasn't noticed me yet, but I've been staring for several moments now. Will he get weirded out if he sees me watching him? I should probably say something to him. I should probably thank him, but how do I word it without making it sound totally pathetic?

I'm only midway through my mental turmoil when suddenly I see his eyes gazing into my own once more. I feel my breath catch in my lungs as I wait to see how he is going to react to my sudden presence.

Suddenly I am witness to possibly the most stunning smile possibly imaginable. His perfect pink lips stretch across a set of perfect white teeth, the brightness of it going straight to his eyes and lighting up his entire face.

“Hey there.” He greets me in a voice that is so much more casual than I feel right now. I think that I was too preoccupied with my fear of Ethan and the other goon before to really notice Silver Eyes. He is gorgeous, plain and simple. I feel like I'm looking straight into the sun in the way that it overwhelms me, but I can't look away.

It hits me suddenly that I have never felt quite this way before. I've had a crush before, at least, I think that's what it was. Well, you see, there was a boy at my last school, and I never really talked to him, but I did always notice him. I felt sort of nervous and giddy around him, in a way that I haven't with any girl so far. 

I know that boys can like other boys romantically, but I'm just not sure if that's me. Or, maybe I'm just not sure if I want that to be me. If the boy is Silver Eyes though, then it doesn't seem nearly as gross as some of my classmates have made it sound. Nothing could possibly to gross involving Silver Eyes. He is my beautiful hero, my guardian angel. And.. now I'm getting creepy. 

I realize that I've just been smiling back at him stupidly and haven't actually said anything. He's going to think I'm some sort of moron!   
“Hello!” I respond, very suddenly and much louder than necessary. I feel my cheeks flush a bit, but I hope he doesn't notice. 

“I'm just practising my shots,” he begins cooly, his smile still present but turning a bit crooked, becoming sort of a pleasant smirk that makes my heart beat a little faster, “would you like to join me?”

Yes I would like to spend time with him! But I'm also nervous. I'm short, and skinny, and probably complete rubbish as basket ball. But he might be insulted if I turn the offer down? I can't risk insulting him, so I better say yes, and quickly before I talk myself out of it! 

“Yes, I'd love to! I mean, yes, yes that would be an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. I mean, at least some of the afternoon, I don't know how long you plan to be here, so of course it doesn't have to be all afternoon if that wasn't how you were intending to spend your day.” Thank god I finally cut my babbling off. At least a couple of sentences too late, but hey, better late then never right?

“Well I don't have any other plans for my day,” he responds casually as if I didn't just make a complete fool of myself. “Let's just go until we stop having fun with it.”

So we take turns shooting from different spots on the court. He is definitely better at it than I am, but I actually do a lot better than I was expecting, and I don't seem to make a fool of myself any more than I already have. 

We talk a bit, just some basic questions about each other. I find out that he's a only child, and I feel a strange swell of importance when he confides in me that he always wished he had a sibling, and that he often felt lonely. I explain to him the things he should be glad he's missing out on by describing some of Rose's more irrational temper tantrums, like when I once read one of her favourite books and accidentally bent the cover, so she tore my pillow open and I went to my bedroom at night, only to find my room covered in feathers, and the book sitting on the centre of the bed to make a statement. Scorpius laughed out loud at my story, a good honest laugh that rang like music in my ears. 

We must have played and talked for hours, because before I knew it the sky was starting to darken slightly and I knew that I would have to make my way home if I didn't want to worry my parents nutty.

“Why did you do it?” I didn't realize that I had been thinking it, but suddenly I heard myself speaking the words, asking what I really wanted to know. He just looked at me, so I continued, “Dye your hair orange I mean.” 

There was a short pause before he answered. “Well, I saw a way that I could help you without the situation getting ugly.”

“But why help me at all?” I push, but then trail off a little bit, “no one has ever done anything that kind for me before”.

He smiles at me a little and then responds, “why wouldn't I be kind? It doesn’t cost me anything.”

He looks around then, as if taking in our darkening surroundings.

“We should probably head home for the night.”

I nod my head in agreement. He starts to walk away but I call him back with a sudden “hey!”. 

I wait until he's facing me again before I state, “I just realized that I don't even know your name!”.

“Oh, yeah, you can call me Darien, Darien Taylor. That's what everyone at the school knows me by. My real name is far too weird.”

“I'm sure it's not that bad! I mean, Hugo isn't the most common name either. And I promise I won't judge, but I would love to know your real name.”

“Well.... my name is odd, but it's not just that.” His expression becomes slightly more severe. “ My family has enemies. People that would want to hurt us. So we keep our real names secret for our own protection. And I'm sure you're trustworthy, but I swore to my father that I wouldn't share my name, and I can't go back on my word.”

I was surprised and didn't really know how to respond, so I just nodded my head dumbly in acknowledgement of his words. 

He gives me one last smile before we part ways, but this one unlike the others looked slightly forced, quite unlike all of the carefree, honest smiles that he had directed towards me throughout the afternoon.


	3. Time and Time Again

After that day shooting hoops together four months ago, Darien gradually became a huge part of my life. At school on the following Monday, I was shocked and thrilled when I walked by him and he actually smiled at me and waved me over. I remember that I was surprised to be acknowledged as a friend in public by someone as popular and cool as Darien. Part of me had been sure that the friendship we were developing was one that we would only act on when no one else could see that he was hanging out with the short, pale, ginger kid. For once I was happy to be proven wrong. 

I started spending my lunch hours with Darien and his friends, all of whom were in the year above me. Over the last few months I've grown pretty close to all of them, but to Darien especially. It feels like Darien has become the center of my universe. I don't even mind how obsessed I've become, because he is truly worthy of it. I love my family, and they are all fantastic people, but I've never really known anyone who was so completely kind and selfless, while at the same time still managing to be funny, confident, and incredibly smart. 

On top of his winning personality, I've also discovered that Darien is exceptionally talented at basically everything he tries. It isn't a wonder how he is so popular when he is the best athlete on almost every sports team the school offers. I would probably feel jealous if I wasn't so busy just admiring him. 

His hair is back to a stunning natural blonde colour that just seems to suit him perfectly. I was curious if the bullying would return when I was back to being one of the only red-heads in the school, but Ethan and the other jerk haven't spoken a word to me since that third day of school. Thank god. No, actually, thank Darien. Have I mentioned how amazing he is yet? 

Today at school my class is going to be burying a time-capsule. So, basically, we are all putting some important item into a box that we will dig up again six years from now. By that time I won't be at this muggle school, I'll be taking classes in magic far from here at Hogwarts, but I guess it doesn't hurt to participate anyway, especially since our teachers are giving us marks for “effort”. 

Looking around my room, my eyes settle on a framed photo I have sitting on my dresser. It was taken around a month ago, a photo of Darien and I. Unsurprisingly he looks incredible in it, despite his hair still being dyed a bright orange at that point. The red hair just didn't quite match his other features as well as his natural blond colour. 

I hate to part with my favourite photo, but I know that it is what I want to put in the time-capsule. It only seems fitting since Darien consumes nearly all of my waking, and non-waking, thoughts this year.

A few grades decided to do this little project together, so when I get the the area of school property where a large hole has already been dug, I'm pleased to see that Darien is also there with the rest of his classmates. I head straight for him as if there is some sort of force compelling me to his direction. 

“Hey Hugo. What did you bring to put in the capsule?” he asks.

“Oh.. ah..” I suddenly feel pretty self conscious about my choice. We were told to bring something that meant something to us, something that was not valuable in a monetary way, but valuable to us emotionally right now. Was this going to weird him out? Well, I don't think there is any way I can not show him at this point. Even if I hide it now, he will see it when I place it into the capsule. So, I pull the framed photo out from my backpack. In the photo we are both smiling, and one of his arms is draped casually over my shoulders. Since I'm quite a bit shorter then him it makes it easy for him to wrap his arm around me, and I can't say that I mind at all. 

“Oh man!” our friend Penny exclaims from next to Darien, “I'm glad we have photo evidence of that awful dye job!” 

“Thanks Pen, thanks for that”. Darien's tone is mild and mostly joking.

“I wonder what we will all look like in 6 years.” Darien says suddenly and I think mostly to himself. 

“I'm sure you'll still be the prettiest boy I know,” Penny responds to Darien with a teasing wink. 

Conversation often flows so smoothly between the two of them. I definitely get jealous, Penny is just so much better at expressing herself with words than I am. Why am I so bloody awkward almost all the time? Luckily I can always find consolation from these thoughts by remembering a long conversation I had with Darien once where he said that he felt like he could be open with me in a way that he couldn't with anyone else. I feel the same way about him. Of course, I've never told him that I'm a wizard. My parents have absolutely forbidden me from sharing that secret with any of the muggles here. But I've told him about my fear of never being good enough to impress my parent's. He told me that he thinks that I'm great, and that all I have to do is be myself, and eventually everyone will see how bloody brilliant I am. Those were his exact words. It's a memory I treasure. 

He hasn't mentioned any more about why anyone would try to hurt him or his parents, and I don't ask. But he has told me that he is afraid he will never be able to escape the horrible labels that his family's actions have given them. I gave him the same advice he gave to me.

Penny and Darien are still playfully bickering back and forth when my attention returns to the conversation. 

“So what are you putting into the capsule then Dare?” She asks him.

I watch as Darien pulls out two identical string bracelets. They are both made with brown and black sting, and tied in series of complicated looking knots all the way around. Overall I think they look quite cool. I wait in eager curiosity for him to explain their meaning to us. 

“I couldn't really think of anything I wanted to put in here, so I made these last night,” he explains, “both are identical. I'm going to put one into a zip lock and then into the capsule so that it will stay in perfect condition. The other one is going to be worn around, and then in six years I'll be able to compare them when we dig this up. I guess it seems kind of stupid now that I'm saying it out loud, but I thought it might be cool.”

We all put our items into the box and watch as it gets buried a few feet under ground. I'm going to miss that photo. I've already spent a ridiculous amount of time staring at it and can picture the image clearly in my mind. It's okay though, now I have good reason to take another one!

After school Darien and I both stick around to shoot hoops. It's sort of our thing. I've actually gotten really good at it to my own surprise. 

“Hugo,”he says to get my attention, “I want you to have this.” In his outstretched hand is the other bracelet from this morning.  
I take the string bracelet and tie is around my right wrist. “Thank you. Why are you giving it to me though?”

“Because you're my best friend of course,” he responds happily before shooting the ball through the net from half court. 

We continue talking and play a bit of one-on-one before going our separate ways for the night.


	4. Without a Good Bye

The next day Darien doesn't show up to school. Even though it's just one day, I still miss seeing him.

The day after that I'm not very surprised to see that his presence is missing once again. None of our other friends have heard anything from him, he hasn't been answering his phone, but he's probably just sick and sleeping a lot.

The third day without Darien I can't stop my thoughts from going to darker places. What if these “family enemies” that I know nothing about have something to do with his absence. What if he's in danger? I know that I'm probably being ridiculous. His absence could be due to any number of things. I'm sure he will probably be back tomorrow.

On the forth day of his absence I decide that I need to get answers. On the lunch break, instead of going straight to meet up with my friends, I go find Darien's teacher. I know from my friends that her name is Mrs. Green, a kind lady who doesn't seem much older than my own parents. She's still in the classroom preparing notes on the board for after lunch. 

“Hi Mrs. Green”. She turns around at the sound of my voice. 

“Yes deary, is there anything I can help you with?”

“I'm a close friend of Darien Taylor. I was just wondering if you knew why he has been absent for the last four days?”

She just looks at me for a moment. It's a strange look, sort of sad. Is that pity?

“I'm sorry to have to tell you this dear, but Darien no longer attends this school”

“What.” That is all I manage to say. What does she mean he is no longer at our school? What? Just, WHAT? 

“Do you know why? Or where he is now?” I ask almost desperately now. 

“Sorry sweetheart, they didn't share very much information, only said that they were leaving town.”

And just like that everything has changed. The most important person in my life is gone. He left, and I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

 

Later that night my sister Rose finds me in my room in tears. I really wish she had knocked before just marching in and invading my privacy. I feel so embarrassed. My sister very rarely cries. She gets angry a lot, and can really be quite frightening when she does, but she doesn't get sad. Our dad once said that crying is for wimps and cowards. Our mother hit him on the arm after and told us that that wasn't true. But, I still feel very weak sitting here in tears, and I hate the look of pity that Rose is giving me.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“I'm fine.” 

“Will you tell me what happened?”  
A large part of me wants to tell her to go away and let me cry in peace. I realize that Iwant to tell someone though. I want some one to understand.

“My best friend left the school for good, and I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to him.” I summarize for her.

“Oh, is it the Darien guy you said you've been playing basket ball with?”

I just nod and then she continues, “Don't worry Hugo, it's not so bad.” I feel a a bit of anger building up in me, but she keeps going, “you're only nine Hugo, you have tons of time to make new friends. And we haven't even started at Hogwarts yet. I'm sure we will make our very best friends once we're in Griffindor.”

I don't feel like she really understands how I feel right now at all, but I know she is just trying to make me feel better so I just offer her a small smile and then say, quite politely, that I would like to be alone. I couldn't be acting less brave or heroic. I just lay on my bed, wallowing in self pity as I casually play with the bracelet on my right wrist. My mind is haunted by images of silver eyes brimming with intelligence, and golden hair shinning in sunlight. I think I love him. 

 

\-----One year later------

 

When we arrive at platform 9 3/4's it's already packed. The whole area is covered in families all chattering among themselves and with each other. Unsurprisingly, my dad and I garner a lot of stares. I can make out some hushed comments. “Is that Draco Malfoy?” “Oh my gosh, his son looks just like him!” “Oh look, the death eater and death eater junior”. Jeeze, I have a name. Scorpius definitely wouldn't have been my first choice, but it has a nicer ring to it than “death-eater junior” I think. 

I'm not surprised to hear the insults and jibes. Actually I was expecting it. That's the way it is whenever my family is in magical territory. I've learned not to let any of it get to me. Unfortunately, what does bother me is seeing the look of guilt on my father's face. He wears a pretty thick mask, but I've learned to pick up on the subtle changes in his features that correspond with his different emotions. The very slightly pinched eyebrows he's sporting now indicate guilt. Guilt because I'm suffering as a result of mistakes he made as a teenager. No one seems to realize that my dad is a totally different person now! He's one of the greatest people I know, and it hurts to hear other people insult him. 

“Try not to let their words bother you,” he whispers to me.

“They don't,” I try to assure him, but his expression doesn't change. 

I have formulated a hopefully fool-proof game plan to start off my time at Hogwarts. Ready for it? Here it is: I'm going to be myself. I'm an incredibly friendly person. I've had to be with how many times I had to switch schools prior to this. I've been told that I'm kind and funny, and people seem to generally like me, so the best I can do is try to get on with my classmates and see what happens!

My dad pulls me into a tight hug before I need to board the train. We are very close. It's only been the two of us since my mom left, and I know he'll get lonely without me. I'll try to send him a lot of letters.

My dad and I hug so long that I'm one of the last ones on the train. Eventually I find a compartment that has room. Only one other boy is sitting there and he looks to be about my age. 

“Hi there!” I greet him with a smile. He looks up and gives me a small smile back.

“Hi.”

“Is this your first year?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he responds, “I'm pretty nervous. My brother thinks that I won't get into the right house.”

“Well he's wrong about that” I say.

“How do you know?”

“Because there is no wrong house,” I use my fingers to make air quotes as I say 'wrong house'. “The sorting hat will put you in the house that suits you best, where you can reach your greatest potential. And what ever house it is, it's the right house because it's the right house for you.”

He just looks at me for a moment and I start to worry that I've already managed to say something wrong. 

“You're right,” he says, “but I still hope that I'll be in Griffindor. It's where all of my family has been sorted.”

“I know what you mean. All of my family has been sorted into Slytherin for generations, but I know that my dad will be proud of me no matter which house I end up in.”

“What's your name anyway?”

“Scorpius Malfoy”, I respond, only to get a wide eyed stare in return. 

“Oh.. umm... I'm Albus Potter.” And now I'm also staring. 

“Oh! Haha, wow. Well I'll glad we are getting the chance to talk then!” He looks surprised at my words, but I press on. “Our fathers have quite the history, as I'm sure you know. But I'm not my father, I'm me, and I just want to make friends and do well in school. People always expect me to follow exactly in my father's footsteps and make all the same mistakes. And they expect us to be bitter enemies or something, but I'd much rather be friends.”

He seems slightly cautious in the way he looks at me now, but my smile is earnest, and he slowly nods his head. “Yeah, I think I could use a friend.”


End file.
